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BOE plans to oppose charter amendment

Resolution likely next week

The Forsyth County Board of Education plans to vote next week on a resolution opposing the state charter school amendment that will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.

During a work session Thursday, board member Ann Crow, who has led the local charge on opposing the measure, said it would take funding from public schools and “create another level of bureaucracy that is not needed.”

“This is an effort to let the public know that we believe in our public school education,” she said.

In addition to the presidential and other federal, state and local races, the November general election ballot will ask voters if they would like the Georgia Legislature to amend the constitution to allow the state to approve and provide funding for charter schools.

“I sympathize with those who feel passionate about charter schools,” said board member Kristen Morrissey, adding particularly for those in school districts not as fortunate as Forsyth’s.

However, board member Darla Sexton Light said the decision was simple.

“Do you want another layer of government?” she asked the board.

The proposed resolution states the economic condition of Georgia has led to reductions in resources for Forsyth and other school districts.

The system supports locally approved charter schools or those approved by the state education board, as Georgia law currently dictates, the resolution said.

However, the proposed resolution states the Forsyth education board “opposes the state’s establishment of a separate system of state-authorized public charter schools that are funded through a funding formula that unilaterally takes critically needed resources from local public school districts and redirects them to the state-controlled charter schools.”

The school board is set to vote on the resolution opposing an amendment during its next meeting, set for Sept. 20.